Izumi's Tale
by KurosakiElric
Summary: Izumi Harnet, age 18, has to brave the harsh winter weather on Briggs Mountain for a month. She must be successful if she wishes to become Steiner's apprentice and learn Alchemy. With only a knife as her tool, she must use her wits and cunning to survive where most could not. Or risk loosing her apprenticeship.
1. Chapter 1

"I'm going to die!" Yelled Izumi Harnet.

_Damn_! Thought Izumi.

Her alchemy teacher had told her that she had to stay in the Briggs Mountain for a full month. It was only the first day, and already she was hungry and cold. She tried to sleep that night, but it was so cold, she feared that if she did it the next night, she would freeze to death.

"Maybe I should just sleep during the day. That way I won't freeze to death at least." She said to herself.

She thought for a moment.

"Damn it! It's just way to cold!" she screamed to no one in particular.

She took the knife her teacher had given her and carved a mark into the nearest tree. She then returned to digging out a small cavern that she would use for sleeping in. Once that was done, it was time to gather firewood. She used her knife to lop off tree limbs. Once she had a bundle of them, she tried desperately to start a fire, but failed.

_Dammit_! She thought. _If I can't make a fire, I'm dead._

She narrowed her eyes, and, just as the sun had set, she was finally successful.

She stood up and stretched her legs, which were cramped.

She thought about finding something to eat, but there didn't seem to be anything around for miles.

_Where's a restaurant when you need one?_ She thought miserably to herself.

She heard a wolf howl in the distance, and she screamed.

She was breathing hard.

_It's just a stupid wolf, Izumi. Calm down, damnit!_

Once she had calmed down enough, started to clear the cavern she had dug out of snow. Soon she had a floor.

She took her coat off, and wrapped it around her, to wait out the night.


	2. Chapter 2

"I don't know if I'm ever going to survive this place." Izumi sighed as she made a mark in the tree the next day.

She was so tired. She wanted a warm bed, maybe a nice mug of hot tea. But no. She was stuck out here. In this barren frozen wasteland.

"I guess it's not _completely_ barren." Izumi said to herself.

"Now I have to gather some fire wood. Keep the coals lit. Make a fence to keep the wolves out…"

She started to gather some more loose sticks, but she couldn't get one. It seemed frozen to the ground.

After a fierce tug, she finally managed to pull the twig free, but the force was so strong, she flew backwards into a tree, which dumped her with a pile of snow.

She jumped out of the pile of snow, now colder then ever.

"What the hell does any of this have to do with alchemy?!" she shouted.

Just then, however, she heard the sound of a cocking gun behind her.

"Alright miss. Just get your hands up… Nice and slow."

_The army mountain guards.. Not good. I must be close to Fort Briggs._ She thought as she did what she was told.

Another guard appeared in front of her.

"What are you doing out here?" asked the guard behind her.

"Uhhh- I'm in training." Said Izumi.

" No one in their right mind would train out here in this time of year."

"Then I guess I'm not in my right mind." Izumi said sarcastically.

"We're taking you in." said one of the guards.

"Woah…Hey! I've gotta survive an entire month out here or I'll loose my apprenticeship."

"Hold on. Isn't your job supposed to be protecting weak and defenseless citizens like me?"

"The only civilians we get out here generally tend to be spies from Drachma. We can't take chances. There is only one law up here in Briggs- Survival of the Fittest. Our nation would perish if we dropped our guard."

Izumi narrowed her eyes with glee.

"That's just what I wanted to hear!" she yelled as she attacked the guards. Once they were knocked out, she stole their rations.

"Jackpot!" she yelled happily. "Ready-made rations!"

One of the guards seemed to be coming to.

"Sorry about that. Survival of the fittest and all that." She said through a mouthful of ration.

Once she had finished, she stood up and said "I can conquer anything this mountain has to throw at me! I will survive this!"

After that, she stood up, gathered up the rations, and fled to her hideout before the guards came to.


End file.
